elizabethpeters.thegoldenone-第79部分

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e　didn't　give　me　time　enough　to　make　a　determination。　I　was　taken　prisoner；　as　Chetwode　was　good　enough　to　inform　my　family；　but　I　managed　to　free　myself　later　that　night。〃　Forestalling　further　questions；　he　added；　〃That's　all　I　can　tell　you。　Chetwode's　futile　attack　has　made　it　virtually　impossible　for　anyone　to　get　near　Ismail　Pasha。　They　will　guard　him　even　more　closely　from　now　on。〃
　Cartright　nodded　grudgingly。　〃We　certainly　can't　try　the　same　stunt　again。　Not　for　a　while。　I　suppose　you'll　be　returning　to　Cairo　at　once；　then。　I　will　make　the　necessary　arrangements。〃
　〃We　will　make　our　own　arrangements；〃　said　Emerson。　〃When　we　are　ready。〃
　The　finality　of　his　tone；　and　the　inimical　looks　Cartright　was　getting　from　everyone　in　the　room；　should　have　convinced　him　that　there　was　nothing　more　to　be　said。　No　one　had　offered　him　a　whiskey　or　even　a　seat。　Yet　he　lingered；　shifting　his　weight　nervously　from　one　foot　to　the　other。
　〃Look　here；　old　boy；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃This　is　off　the　record；　you　know　…　but　by　Gad；　that　was　well　done！　Chetwode　was　man　enough　to　admit　that　you　risked　yourself　to　help　him　escape　…　and　then　to　break　yourself　loose　from　a　Turkish　prison；　and　get　through　their　lines　。　。　。　It　was　…　confound　it；　it　was　deuced　well　done。〃
　〃Oh；　you　know　the　Turks；〃　Ramses　said。　〃Careless　beggars。〃
　〃All　the　same；　I　…　er　…〃　Military　discipline　or　an　inadequate　vocabulary　brought　him　to　a　stuttering　stop。　He　straightened　and　snapped　off　a　crisp　salute。　Ramses　did　not　return　it；　but　he　nodded　in　acknowledgment；　the　corners　of　his　mouth　pressed。
　〃How　absurd　military　persons　are；〃　I　remarked；　after　Cartright　had　marched　stiffly　out　and　Selim　had　slammed　the　door。
　〃Don't　underestimate　him；〃　Ramses　said　softly。
　〃I　don't；〃　said　Emerson。　〃He　was　trying　to　find　out　how　long　we　mean　to　remain　here。　Perhaps　I　ought　to　have　e　up　with　an　excuse　for　staying　on；　but　I　couldn't　think　of　one　offhand；　this　isn't　the　place　one　would　choose　for　a　holiday；　and　there　are　no　archaeological　remains　of　any　interest。〃
　〃Good　Gad；〃　I　exclaimed　indignantly。　〃Do　you　think　he　is　still　suspicious　of　us？　How　insulting！〃
　Ramses　laughed　and　rose；　taking　my　empty　glass　from　my　hand。　〃You　ought　to　consider　it　a　pliment；　Mother。　'Suspicious'　is　perhaps　too　strong　a　word；　but　a　good　intelligence　officer　doesn't　take　chances　with　people　whose　behavior　is；　shall　we　say；　unpredictable。　It　poses　a　bit　of　a　problem。　If　we　don't　start　making　arrangements　to　leave　within　the　next　day　or　two；　he　will　assume　we're　planning　something　underhanded　and　place　us　under　surveillance。　That's　what　I　would　do。〃
　〃Quite；〃　Emerson　agreed。　〃Damnation！　It　doesn't　give　us　much　time。　Let　us　hope　my　…　er　…　Sethos　makes　his　move　soon。　Since　you　are　on　your　feet；　Ramses；　another　whiskey　here；　if　you　please。　How　long　till　dinner；　Selim？　That　refreshing　little　episode　has　given　me　quite　an　appetite。〃
　〃I　do　not　know；　Emerson。　I　have　been　at　the　door　all　afternoon；　and　the　cook　…〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　my　boy；　that　is　quite　all　right。　See　what　you　can　do　to　hurry　him　up；　eh？　You　need　not　stand　guard；　we　won't　have　any　more　visitors　tonight。〃
　In　that　he　was　mistaken。　Not　long　after　Selim　had　taken　himself　off；　the　aged　doorman　shuffled　in　to　announce　that　another　merchant　had　called。　He　had　a　carpet　for　sale；　a　very　fine　carpet；　a　silk　carpet；　a　…　
　〃Tell　him　to　go　away；〃　said　Emerson。　〃We　don't　want　any　carpets。〃
　The　man　bowed　and　wandered　out。　He　was　too　late　and　too　ineffectual　to　intercept　the　seller　of　carpets；　however。　The　fellow　had　followed　him。
　He　was　a　tall　man　with　a　grizzled　beard　and　a　squint。　The　roll　of　carpet　was　slung　over　his　shoulder。　Taking　hold　of　the　door；　he　shut　it　in　the　doorkeeper's　face；　lowered　the　rug　to　the　floor；　seized　one　end；　and　heaved。
　A　rich　tapestry　of　crimson　and　azure　and　gold　unrolled；　and　from　the　end　rolled　a　human　form　…　a　female　form；　wearing　a　rather　tasteless　and　very　crumpled　frock　of　bright　pink　silk。　Coughing　and　choking；　it　raised　dirty　hands　to　its　eyes　and　rubbed　them。
　〃Christ　Almighty；〃　said　my　son　in　a　strangled　voice。
　I　was　too　thunderstruck　to　object　to　this　expletive；　and　the　others　were　equally　stupefied。　Naturally　I　was　the　first　to　recover。　I　looked　from　the　girl；　who　seemed　to　be　suffering　nothing　worse　than　the　effects　of　being　bundled　up　in　a　rug　smelling　of　camel；　to　the　merchant；　who　stood　with　hands　on　hips　staring　at　me。
　〃Back　again；　are　you？〃　I　inquired　unnecessarily。
　〃Not　from　the　dead　this　time；〃　said　Sethos。　〃I　have　brought　you　a　little　gift。〃
　〃In　a　rug？〃
　〃It　worked　for　Cleopatra；〃　said　my　brother…in…law。　The　unfortunate　female　sneezed　violently。　Automatically　I　handed　her　a　handkerchief。
　〃I'm　leaving　her　in　your　care　for　a　few　days；〃　Sethos　went　on。　〃Make　certain　no　one　gets　to　her。〃
　Without　further　ado；　he　turned　and　strode　toward　the　door。　Emerson　made　a　leap　for　him；　caught　him　by　the　arm　and　spun　him　round；　so　vigorously　that　he　staggered。
　〃Not　so　fast。　You　have　a　lot　of　explaining　to　do。〃
　Instead　of　trying　to　free　himself　from　the　hand　that　gripped　his　shoulder；　Sethos　stared　at　Emerson's　left　sleeve；　which　had　fallen　back；　exposing　the　cast。
　〃How　did　that　happen？〃　he　asked。
　〃An　encounter　with　a　tomb　robber　in　Luxor；〃　Emerson　replied。　〃One　of　yours？〃
　〃At　present　I　have　no　business　arrangements　in　Luxor。　It's　like　you；〃　he　added　in　exasperation；　〃to　go　dashing　into　a　war　zone　with　a　broken　arm。　Just　sit　tight　for　a　few　days；　all　of　you。　I　can't　explain　now；　lowly　merchants　do　not　linger　to　chat　with　customers。〃
　〃Then　we　will　meet　you　elsewhere；〃　I　said　firmly。　〃Later　this　evening。　Where　and　when？〃
　〃For　God's　sake；　Amelia；　be　reasonable！　There's　a　noose　round　my　neck　and　it's　getting　tighter　by　the　minute。　If　my　absence　is　discovered　。　。　。　Oh；　very　well。　I'll　try　to　meet　you　tomorrow　night。　Midnight　…　romantic；　isn't　it？　…　at　the　ruined　house　in　Dir　el　Balah。　Ramses　knows　it。〃
　〃What？〃　Ramses　tore　his　horrified　gaze　from　the　〃gift。〃　〃Yes；　I　know　it。　What　the　devil　…〃
　〃Later。　You　shouldn't　have　any　trouble　for　another　day　or　two。　Oh　…　I　almost　forgot。　You　owe　me　four　hundred　and　twenty　piastres。　That's　four　and　a　half　Turkish　pounds；〃　he　added　helpfully。　〃Quite　a　bargain。〃
　After　he　had　bowed　himself　out；　I　was　at　leisure　to　turn　my　attention　to　the　young　woman。　Nefret　had　led　her　to　the　divan　and　was　helping　her　smooth　the　tangled　strands　of　her　long　hair。
　〃Would　you　like　to　freshen　up　a　bit　before　we　chat？〃　I　inquired。
　〃For　God's　sake；　Mother；　this　isn't　a　social　encounter！〃　Ramses　burst　out。　〃You　let　him　get　away　without　answering　any　questions；　let's　hear　what　she　has　to　say。〃
　She　raised　reproachful　black　eyes　to　his　face。　〃Are　you　angry？　I　thought　you　would　be　happy　to　see　me。〃
　〃He　is；〃　said　Nefret。　A　dimple　appeared　at　the　corner　of　her　mouth。　〃He　just　has　an　odd　way　of　showing　it。　Mother；　get　her　something　to　drink。〃
　〃Thank　you；　I　would　like　that。　And　something　to　clean　my　face　and　hands。〃
　She　had　the　instincts　of　a　lady；　at　any　rate。　The　requested　objects　having　been　supplied；　she　wiped　her　face；　and　drank　deeply　of　the　cold　tea。　I　had　to　keep　telling　Ramses　to　be　quiet；　he　was　fairly　hopping　with　annoyance；　but　we　owed　the　girl　a　little　time　to　recover　from　her　unusual　and　unfortable　trip。
　〃Now；〃　I　said；　after　she　had　refreshed　herself；　〃perhaps　you　can　tell　us；　Miss　。　。　。　What　is　your　name？　Ramses　didn't　mention　it。〃
　〃We　were　never　properly　introduced；〃　Ramses　said　through　his　teeth。
　〃Esin。〃
　〃How　do　you　do。〃
　〃How　do　you　do；〃　she　repeated。　〃Are　you　his　mother？〃
　Another　one；　I　thought。　Ramses　has　that　effect　on　susceptible　young　women。　I　had　suspected　as　much；　even　from　Ramses's　expurgated　version　of　their　encounter；　the　way　she　pronounced　the　masculine　pronoun　was　a　dead　giveaway。
　〃Yes；〃　I　said。　〃And　this　is　his　father；　Professor　Emerson。　And　his　wife。〃
　〃How　do　you　do；〃　the　girl　said；　with　only　the　barest　nod　for　Emerson。　She　examined　Nefret　carefully；　and　her　dirty　face　fell。
　〃Anyhow；　I　am　glad　to　be　here；〃　she　said　with　a　sigh。　〃My　father　has　been　very　angry　since　you　escaped。〃
　〃Did　he　blame　you？〃　Ramses　asked。
　〃No；　he　thinks　I　am　too　stupid　and　too　afraid　of　him。〃　She　took　anothe